Origin Pharma
Global manufacturer of pharmaceutical packaging expands its facilities in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read time: 4 mins Added: 30/11/2021
Family-owned business, Origin Pharma Packaging specialises in producing medicine bottles for liquids and tablets and is a leading supplier to UK pharmacists.
After investing £12 million in new facilities Origin has been producing millions of components used in Covid-19 PCR tests.
The Hull-based business, which also has offices in Glasgow, Manchester, London and Sydney, relocated its distribution depot to a new site in Scunthorpe and redeveloped the vacated space at its headquarters to create a new facility for filling the vials used in sample collection kits. The facility, which is highly automated and completely sterile, can fill up to 140 million vials per year.
The investment will also help develop a new line of interactive packaging that will help record data in clinical trials of new drugs, making the process faster and more accurate.
Managing director, Keith Wade said, “Demand for sample collection kits meant that we had to flex very quickly and get this facility up and running within months. It is one of the leading facilities of its kind in the country and is a big asset for the business.
“We felt obliged to be part of the fight against the pandemic, both at home and around the world.
“It’s a versatile site, opening up new opportunities for us to work alongside new partners, and creating highly-skilled jobs. We’ve never stopped investing, but this will take us to the next level.”
The investment from Lloyds Bank will help Origin achieve its ambition to double turnover within three years. Around 30% of revenues currently come from exports, and the company is pursuing growth opportunities in Europe, including in the medicinal cannabis sector and cosmetics industry.
Natalie Hancock, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said, “Origin has risen to the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic and is an essential supplier of tests to countries around the world.
“This investment means that, as well as designing and manufacturing pharmaceutical packaging to the highest standards, by branching out into component production Origin can now provide a complete solution for its customers.
“Origin is a fantastic example of an innovative, entrepreneurial and highly ambitious Yorkshire business that is making a difference in the world as well as achieving commercial success.”
